Guest blogger Robert Buchanan: Saving the polar bear is one part of global stewardship

"During the 4.5 billion years that this planet has been in existence, 99 percent of the species that have ever lived are now extinct. To think that humans are not in the crosshairs of extinction would be naïve. And to think that humans cannot overcome this challenge is equally naïve."

Standing at Cape Churchill on the back of a Tundra Buggy(R),
surrounded by more than 20 large male polar bears who had suddenly
become curious about my presence, was a life-changing moment for me.
The only thing I could hear as the 1,000-plus-pound Lord of the Arctic
padded towards me across the vast tundra was the whistling of the cold
wind and my heart beating in my chest.

The grace, power and magnificent beauty of the polar bear is addictive
— it has lured me back to Churchill, Manitoba, for more than 20
years. Each time I see the bears in their natural setting, I return to
civilization with a clear understanding of the importance of the North
and the significant role that humans must play in the stewardship of
this planet.

On Wednesday, May 14th, 2008, Secretary of the Interior Dirk
Kempthorne announced that the United States had reclassified the polar
bear as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act. This
recognition of the polar bear's fragile future is an important step in
bringing awareness to the rapid warming taking place in the Arctic.

Over the past 25 years, the ice in the Arctic Ocean has diminished at
an alarming rate. Last year alone, we lost over one million square
miles of ice — an area the size of Alaska, Texas and the state
of Washington combined. Polar bears need ice to hunt, to breed and, in
most cases, to den. Without it, they cannot survive.

Whether humans have caused climate change in the Arctic is immaterial.
Humans have to solve the issue by reducing the build-up of carbon
dioxide. This is not a right or left political issue — it is a
human issue. During the 4.5 billion years that this planet has
been in existence, 99 percent of the species that have ever lived are
now extinct. To think that humans are not in the crosshairs of
extinction would be naïve. And to think that humans cannot overcome
this challenge is equally naïve.

I grew up just north of the Everglades, where air conditioning and
aerosol products played an important role in our overall comfort. When
scientists realized that the fluorocarbons used in these products were
contributing to an enormous hole in our ozone layer, humans came to
the planet's rescue and quickly eliminated its use in everything from
deodorants to refrigerators.

I also remember the first Earth Day in 1970 and how our awareness of
the possible dangers of a wonder chemical, the pesticide DDT, helped
to eliminate its widespread use and prevent what Rachel Carson called
a "silent spring."

Humans can rally to stem environmental disasters. We could
plant 10 trees for every one we remove, in effect replacing our
planet's filtration system. If the Earth had the oxygen-producing
forests of some 200 years ago, we would not have had problems of
carbon build-up today. In addition to planting trees, individuals can
make a difference by recycling and by buying products made recycled
materials. If we can't make it fashionable to buy recycled products,
we're just separating our garbage into neat little piles. We can drive
less, and slow down, to make big energy savings — The oil
companies we blame for carbon build-up are simply fulfilling consumer
demand.

We're not facing extinction, but the polar bears are. To see a
sentinel species that has been able to survive in the harshest
environment become threatened is disheartening. But we can save the
great white bears — and the entire planet along with them.

Robert W. Buchanan is the president of Polar Bears
International, a polar bear conservation and education
organization. PBI has launched 40 Arctic Ambassador Centers at zoos
throughout the world to help visitors understand the Far North and
Arctic ecosystems.

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